Smith County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.9 | 245,209 people · 94th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Smith County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.9 — 649th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Texas, it ranks 94th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Smith County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 75.3 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 75.3
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 76
Housing Cost Burden 67.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 73
Economic Vitality 60.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 23
House Price Change (YoY) 74
Legal Distress 54.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Structural Poverty 33.2
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 46
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 17

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Smith County
Smith County, TX 64.9 Elevated —
Gregg County, TX 74.0 Serious +9.2
Henderson County, TX 73.6 Serious +8.7
Rusk County, TX 65.3 Serious +0.4
Upshur County, TX 65.0 Serious +0.2
Cherokee County, TX 62.8 Elevated -2.1
Van Zandt County, TX 61.7 Elevated -3.2
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated -4.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Smith County
Pulaski County, KY 64.9 Elevated -0.0
Lawrence County, OH 64.9 Elevated +0.1
Salem County, NJ 64.8 Elevated -0.1
Bay County, FL 64.7 Elevated -0.2
Gila County, AZ 64.7 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Smith County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Smith County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Texas — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Texas — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-252-9690

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Smith County residents at no cost.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid 1-888-988-9996
Lone Star Legal Aid 1-800-733-8394
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (888) 529-5277

Self-Help Resources

Texas State Law Library — Foreclosure Research Guide Comprehensive guide to Texas foreclosure law with links to statutes, forms, and practice guides.
TexasLawHelp.org Free legal information and self-help resources for low-income Texans.

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Texas →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Smith County, Texas?

    Smith County has a County Distress Index score of 64.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 649th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 94th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Smith County?

    The primary driver of distress in Smith County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 75.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Smith County compare to neighboring counties?

    Smith County (64.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Gregg County, TX (74.0); Henderson County, TX (73.6); Rusk County, TX (65.3).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Smith County's score of 64.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Smith County's CDI score?

    Smith County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Smith County?

    Smith County, Texas has a population of approximately 245,209 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.